Head Of Production & Supply

Arkadia Talent; Sydney; On-site; AUD 200,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Arkadia Talent invites applications for Head of Production & Supply, a rare senior leadership role at a fast-moving fresh produce and food manufacturing operation in North Western Sydney. You will report to the Group CEO, own the P&L for a seven-day facility and lead ~50 staff across production, warehousing, quality and logistics.

This is a true GM role in a lean family-owned business where your impact is visible and essential to growth.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in a senior operational or site leadership role (GM, Site Manager, Operations Manager, or equivalent).
• Proven track record of P&L accountability and cost performance in manufacturing/production.
• Deep knowledge of lean manufacturing and structured problem-solving using CI methods.
• Experience in cold chain logistics and supplier relationship management.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day operations of a seven-day production facility, ensuring output, quality and service levels.
• Own the site P&L and the operational cost base including labour, materials, packaging and utilities.
• Drive continuous improvement using Lean/Six Sigma to reduce waste and lift throughput.
• Manage all cold chain, warehousing and dispatch to meet food safety compliance.
• Own end-to-end supply chain relationships with growers and suppliers.
• Maintain HACCP, SQF, and WHS compliance; partner with CEO on reporting and cost initiatives.

Skills

P&L accountability

Lean manufacturing

People leadership

Operations leadership

Supply chain management

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

The Opportunity

This is a rare chance to step into the most senior operational leadership role at one of Australia's most respected fresh produce and food manufacturing businesses. Working with the CEO at the helm and a clear mandate for performance and growth, this is the right moment to join and the right role to make your mark.

Reporting directly to the Group CEO, you'll have full end-to-end accountability for a fast-paced, 7-day production facility in North Western Sydney. This is a genuine GM role: you own the P&L, you lead the team, and you drive the results.

About the Business

An Australian family-owned agribusiness with over 50 years of operation. Vertically integrated across production, wholesale distribution, and supplies, this business supplies premium produce to major supermarket chains, leading restaurant groups, and specialist grocers nationally.

This is not a large corporate. It's a lean, high-performing business where every leader's impact is highly visible and where the right person will have genuine influence over the direction of the operation.

About the Role

As the Head of Production & Supply, you'll lead a team of approximately 50 people across production, packaging, warehousing, maintenance, quality, and safety. Your 7 direct reports span Quality & Food Safety, Production Supervisors, Maintenance, Projects, and Warehousing & Logistics.

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead day-to-day operations of the production facility, output, quality, and service levels
• Own the site P&L and operational cost base, including labour, materials, packaging, and utilities
• Drive a continuous improvement culture using Lean/Six Sigma methodologies to reduce waste and lift throughput
• Manage all cold chain, warehousing, and dispatch operations to full food safety compliance
• Own the end-to-end supply chain, including direct relationships with produce growers and exotic variety suppliers
• Maintain HACCP, SQF, and all food safety and WHS compliance obligations
• Partner with the CEO and senior leadership team on performance reporting, cost initiatives, and growth strategy
• Build a high-performance, safety-first culture across a diverse workforce

Beyond the day-to-day, the incoming Head of Production & Supply is expected to deliver five priority outcomes: renegotiate supplier contracts and drive cost out quickly; implement ERP across the pack house; build the capex case for a new slicing line; rebuild and upskill the production, maintenance, and distribution team; and set a compelling cultural direction for the site.

About You

You're an experienced operational leader from food manufacturing, fresh produce, FMCG, or a similarly fast-paced perishable goods environment. You've run a production site end-to-end and you've owned the numbers, not just the floor.

You'll bring:

• Significant experience in a senior operational or site leadership role (GM, Site Manager, Operations Manager, or equivalent)
• Proven track record of P&L accountability and cost performance in a manufacturing or production environment
• Deep knowledge of lean manufacturing, CI methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent), and structured problem-solving
• Experience in supply chain management, cold chain logistics, and/or supplier relationship management
• Exceptional people leadership across a large, diverse workforce
• The drive to be present, hands-on, and genuinely invested in the operation

Why This Role

• Report directly to the CEO, genuine influence from day one
• Full P&L ownership and end-to-end operational accountability
• Be part of a small, high-impact executive team at a genuine business inflection point
• Competitive base salary + superannuation + performance incentive